Chair having spring-supported seat and back



Aug. 10, 1954 A. 1.. MERKEL ET AL 2,685,914

CHAIR HAVING SPRING-SUPPORTED SEAT AND BACK Filed March 16, 1948INVENTORS ALBERT 1.. HER/(EL a HERBERT A. MERKEL AGENT Patented Aug. 10,1954 I "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIR HAVING SPRING-SUPPORTED SEATAND BACK Albert L. Merkel, Brawley, and Herbert A. Merkel, ,San Diego,Calif.

Application March 16, 1948, Serial No. 15,155

Our invention relates to a chair having springsupported seat and back,more particularly to a chair having certain novel spring supportingmeans and the objects ofour invention are:

First, to provide a chair of this class which is very comfortable whenthe economy and simplicity of construction isconsidered;

Second, to provide a chair of this class having novel track meanscontrolling the vertical-movement of the chair seat when'th'e springssuspending the same are extended;

-'I'hird,-' to provide a chair of this class in which the seat-and theback thereof move in unison and are suspended by a common means wherebythe person sitting in the chair does not slide down i the back when theseat portion lowers responsive to the-weight of the person sitting inthe chair; Fourth, to provide a chair of this class having novelrollerand track means cooperating with suspension springs for supporting achair seat relatively to the main frame thereof;

Fifth, to provide a chair of thisclass in which the chairseat and'backmay be pivoted downwardly at the front edge of the chair seat duringwhich movement the chair seat back pivots in unison forwardly with thedownward pivotal movement of the front edge of the chair seat;

Sixth, to provide a chair of this class in which verticalmovement of theseat and the seat back is directed on an angle parallel to theinclinationof the seat back so that the back and seat :of: thechairmaintain their relative position to "the horizontal at all times,and

Seventh, to'provide a chair of this class which is very simple-andeconomical in construction, eflicient in operation and which will notreadily I'deteriorate or getout'of order. a

With these and other objects in'view as will appear'hereinafter ourinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in-gdetail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon forming a. I part of this application in which: 1

E Figure'l is a top or plan view of our chair; Fig. 21s a verticalsectional view'thereof taken from "the line"'2'2 of Figql and Fig; 3 isan enlarged fragmentarysectionalview taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and' portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings;

The main frame I, the tracks 2 and 3, seat 5 Claims. (01. 155-53) saidarm portions to. P springs 6 and 1 are connected to the brackets 4aframe 4, rollers 5, suspension springs 6 and 1, seat plate 8 and theseat springs 9 constitute the principal parts and portions of our chair.

The frame I is provided with a base portion Ia adapted to rest on thefloor and in connection with this portion la are uprights lb havinghorizontal arm portions [0 connected to the upper ends thereof. Thus,the main frame consists of a rectangular base and four uprights whichare connected with the cross arms 50. Supported by the arms lc are thesuspension springs 6 and I. These springs 6 and 1 are supported directlybe-- neath the arms to by hooks .Ba and la fixed to The lower ends ofthe shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Connected with the horizontal frame portion 40 and the seat back portion4d at each side thereof is a trunnion 5a on'the outer side of which ismounted the roller 5. I Thus, each opposite side of the seat frame 4 isguided by a roller 5 and the tracks 2 and 3 as shown in Fig. 30f thedrawings are channel shaped provided with inwardly extending-legportions 3a. The lower end of each of-the tracks 2 and 3 is securedtothe horizontal member Id at each opposite side of the base la of themain frame I .The short bracket 3b is provided in connection with eachof the tracks 2 and 3 for supporting the upper end of the same inconnection with one of the vertical uprights lb of the mainframe I, allasshown best in Fig. 2

of the drawings. Interconnecting the horizontal seatframe portion 40 andthe back 4d are angular braces 4e which provide rigidity of the overallseat frame structure, all as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Itwill be here noted that the main frame l and the seat frame 4 may beupholsteredgand the springs 6 and l inwardly of the inner edges of thearms -lc are substantially hidden from; view behind the upholsteryproviding a very neat upholstery arrangement of our :chair. When thechair. is upholstered the seat is raised four or five inchesabove theseat frame by a foam rubber cushion -or cushion having inner-springsarranged in the usual manner. A cardboard or other light partitioningmeans is positioned over the inside edges of the arm frames, extendingbelow the seat cushion and terminating slightly above the brackets 4aand 4b. The arm upholstery covers the light weight partitioning means topresent a well tailored appearance 'totthenfini'shed upholsteredschairs.

The operation *of our chairis substantially as follows: v

When a person sits in our chair over the plate 8, the springs 6 and lare extended-'andthe-rollers roll downwardly in the tracks 2 and'3:unti1 the weight of the person is balanced. If the weight of theperson is forward'pn"thehorizontal seat frame portion 40 near the front'edge 4] thereof, the spring 1 will besextendedsa greater distance thanthe spring 6 and the backportion 4d of the frame 4 will tilt forwardly'in'eonforming relationship to the downwardly tilted -;dispe's'itionr 6fthe forward 'edgelf of thethor-izontahframe porfti'oni 'llc. It:willbe*not'e'd that .both the frame-portions flc and 'ldepivot 'about "theax'isor the roller 5 'in'*"the track- 3 and-"that "when-"the seatfra-me- 4 moves downwardly. it salways irn'oves parallel to the tracksand 3 -so that "the normal angle of the back 411 with-respe'c't to thehorizontal is'maintained. "The-thin iplate li'being flexible andsupported by surround- "ing spring 9 provides very e'fficient and c'omfort- -ahlesupport' forthe cushion of the upholstery plaoedthereov'er. F-Brackets 4a andfihextending ou-twardlyof thehorizontal frame portion-4cof the sea't M-project beneath -thewarms lc o'f 'the main'frame I inorderto -hide the springs fi and'l inwardly =of 'the'chaiharms i'c inwhich they'op'erate freely.

"Though we have shown and describeda pan tic1flar-= construction,combination and arra'ngemerit of "parts and'portions, 'wedo not wish to1 be' lim ited to this "particularsconstruction, =combi-nationand:arrangement but: desire to include *i-n'the scope =of our invention theconstruction, -comhination and arrangement: substantially was set"fo1ith-in theappe'n'ded "claims;

Having thus-described :our invention what -=we claim as new and desireto secure by Letters ilf'atentis: r

' 1.''In a 'chairfith'e combinationof'amairrframe *hav-ingarm' portionsat opposite sides-of said "frame, a --seat framehaving a batk fixedthereto intermediate the-arm portions o'f said' main frame and l springsconnected to said arm 'por- "tions and -'said seat frame fo'r'supporti-ng said -"sea-t frame in said main frame,-. t rack means aligned with-said*back and "extending downwardlyrelativelyto-the armsof saidmainframe and rollers-on opposite sides of said seat frame "in-saidtrack for guiding the-vertical movement (if-said seatframein said"mainframe when "saidsprings are extended.

231na-chair, the combination of-a main frame -having-'arm portions atopposite sides of said "frame,- a seat frame having a back-"fixed there--tointermediate thear-m portions of said main frame and springs inconnection with said arm .portions and :said seat frame for supportingsaid sea t frame in-sai'd mainframe; track means kaligned --'with saidback and extending down- \wa r dly'relativelyto thearms of saidmainframe andl rollers on opposite sides. of: said seat framesaidirtraekvfor:controlling the vertical move- ."of .=.rsa'id 1 seatframe 7 in said main frame said springs are: extended:saidwseatframeshaving zpnlyuone :rdllerwon i'ea'ch :opposite side 4 thereof providinga horizontal axis on which said seat frame is pivotal when unevenextension of said spring occurs.

3. In a chair, the combination of a main frame having arm portions atopposite sides of said frame, a seat frame having a back fixed theretointermediate the arm portions of said main *frame springs in.xconnection with said arm =por-tions and said seat frame "forsupporting said seat frame in said main frame, track means c alignedwith said back and extending down- -,wardlyrelatively to the arms ofsaid main frame and rollers on opposite sides of said seat frame in saidtrack for controlling the vertical movevmen t 'nf -sa'id seat 'frame insaid main frame "when said springs are extended said seat frame havingon1y,.one.roller on each opposite side thereof providing a horizontalaxis on which said-meat frame is pivotal when uneven extension of saidspring occurs, said springs disposed .heneath the arms' 'of saidflzmain1 frame "1 and. inwardly of: the inner-edges thereof, said seat framehaving-outwardly extending brackets-i120 which said springs :areconnected.

4.. .In a chair, the combination of -a: mainframe having -armgportionsat "oppos-itei/sides .:of said frame, a seat frame; havingvuaa abacktfixed thereto intermediate thesarm :portions: of said .main frame andsprings .-con-nectedaeto said-.arm 521301- vtions sand. a said seatframe for supporting :sa-id seat frame in said mainnframe, track :means:aligned with .said "back "and vextending wdownwvardlyrelatively.to'thearms.of said main frame and; rollers on oppositesides-.-of said. seat-frame .in-isaid track :for guidingzth-e" verticalmovement of -said1-seat frame ;i-n-:said main frame w-hen said .ispringsa-re rextended, -:said tracks being parallel to the seat :backrforwdeterminingthe .pat-h son-said: seat. back when-saidzseatiframerisvertically moved, ;:and: determining; in ;part: the angle totheihor-izontal: ofa.theisaid pathofl:the

.seatand back. l

--5. In a-chair, the combinationof a-mainframe :having I arm portions-:-.at' opposite sides of said frame; a seat frame havingwia back fixedthere- :rto:iintermediatezthe armirportionsr:ofssaidizmain frame .andspr-ings connected toe saidz iarm y portions and: said :seat frame forsupporting said seat .frame in said m-ain iframe, ytl afik :means,aligned With said :back sand sextendin-g zdOWH- -t-wardly relatively:to the armsiof said mainframe rand; rollers :on opposite sides' :of:-said seat: frame in said track for guiding. th'evertical movement 30fi-saidwseat .frame in said a'mai-n iframe rw-hen said springsrareextended;.said trackabeingchaninelr shaped in crross section saideeatframe;:hav-

ing trunnions extendingitherefrom omwhich said rollers are mounted.

References ,Cited inwthe file of this .patent "UNITED 'STATES PATENTS V4 Number Name 7 Date L,'Z20,485 Lei-pert "i -Junie, 1929 1,845,535Twes'tpha'l Feb. 16,1932 --l;890,089 Kron-heim iiDecs .6, 1 11932.il;905,-588- aHarris sr-Apr. i25, 1933 1,979,892 Loefiler NOV. :6, L934FOREIGN"PATENTS 1 :Number -Country I .-Date 265,951 Great BritainOct.-i2'7,.l92'7 395,757 Great Britain ..W-==.uly@24,i 1933

